Co-pending PCT Patent Application No PCT/GB94/02716 (Publication No WO95/16483) describes a method of filling a container such as may be used in an inhaler for dispensing medication for respiratory complaints. In that method, the container, which takes the form of a flexible plate, is laid flat on a porous bed and an excess of powdered medicament applied to one face of the plate. Gas pressure is then used to urge the medicament into apertures in the plate, which is then wiped clean of any excess of powdered medicament and sealed on opposite faces with laminate foil so that each aperture of the plate holds a respective individually encapsulated dose of medicament.
In this method, the volume of each dose is determined by the capacity of each aperture in the plate, and cannot therefore be altered for any given container. In addition, residual traces of particulate material must be removed from the face of the plate before the foil laminate is applied, otherwise the effectiveness of the seal between the foil and the plate may be compromised.